


I wanna see your pompoms from the stands

by kristensbogusjourney



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, American Football, Homecoming, Jock Liam, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nerd Zayn, side narry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-23 00:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2527298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristensbogusjourney/pseuds/kristensbogusjourney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After hurting his foot, star football player Liam Payne is forced into after-school tutoring and Zayn Malik is the lucky person who gets to deal with him. However, after meeting Liam he is able to see that there is much more to this jock than everyone thinks.</p><p>High school/Homecoming AU featuring jock Liam and nerdy Zayn</p>
            </blockquote>





	I wanna see your pompoms from the stands

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired a lot by the TV show The Middle, specifically the storyline of Axl and Cassidy, so the credit goes to them I just changed some things around.
> 
> The title is from "Forrest Gump" by Frank Ocean, which also helped inspire the story.

Zayn complained about his job a lot, ok which wasn’t really an actual job, but in reality he liked it quite a bit. He was a tutor at the tutoring center at school, one of the best he might add, with a high GPA and nearly straight A’s. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday he stayed after school and waited in a room off the library. In it was a large table surrounded by chairs, just in case a bunch of people showed up. They never did though, and Zayn was lucky if more than a couple kids showed up a week, and even then it was students that were failing out of required classes and forced to come.

            He didn’t mind at all. On days when no one showed up, Zayn was able to spend his two hours reading, writing, and browsing the library at his leisure. It was an excuse to not have to go home to his loud house right away. He thought it was a pretty sick deal.

            School had just started and therefore Zayn’s senior year too. He had spent the summer finding the perfect college, and with his record his parents told him he would have his pick. Of course this didn’t mean he’d slack off this year, but he wouldn’t have to worry so much.

            So here Zayn was, lounging back in one of the chairs in the study room, feet propped up on the table and a book in his hand. It was only the third week of school, but Zayn decided it wasn’t too soon to start reading for English. With it being so early in the school year, Zayn wasn’t expecting any one to show up. However, he was proven wrong when he heard a soft knock at the door.

            “Come in?” he called out, a little confused.

            The door flew open, as if the person behind it kicked it open. And when Zayn saw said person, he figured that’s what he did. In the doorway stood Liam Payne, the school’s resident hero as Zayn liked to call him, star football player, handsome, friendly, and definitely a little full of himself. However, the usual smile Liam wore was gone, instead replaced by a small frown, which Zayn figured was a result of the crutches and cast the boy was currently wearing.

            “Hi, I’m Liam”, the injured boy said, trying to hide the resentment Zayn was sure he had.

            “Yeah, I know you,” Zayn replied, letting himself stare at Liam’s leg.

            “Ok, well, I’m here for tutoring,” Liam said more forcefully when he saw Zayn looking at his cast.

            “You’re at the right place. Take a seat,” he answered, gesturing to the chair next to him. Liam made his way over, then fell rather ungracefully into the chair, his crutches clattering when they hit the ground.

            “Sorry,” Liam grunted, not wanting to meet Zayn’s eyes.

            “It’s alright. How’d you hurt it?” Zayn asked, genuinely curious.

            Liam shrugged, “It was rather stupid really. My mate Louis ran over my foot.”

            Zayn giggled, quickly covering his mouth when Liam glared.

            “This is absolutely not funny. I might not be able to play football all year. I could lose my scholarship.”

            Zayn smirked, “Sorry to hear it. And they sent you to me.”

            Liam continued to glare as he said, “Listen, I’m not happy to be here either, but if my foot doesn’t heal, I’ll have to rely on my grades to get into college.”

            “Ok, sorry,” Zayn said with his hands up.

            “So are you gonna help me or not…”

            “Zayn. Zayn Malik.”

            “Zayn” Liam drawled slowly as if tasting the name on his tongue, “Have we had any classes together?”

            “A few,” Zayn said shortly, thinking of how the teachers praised Liam and their classmates flocked to him.

            “Oh. I thought I would remember you” he puzzled.

            “Don’t sweat it, mate. I’m pretty forgettable,” Zayn reassured. Liam looked like he was going to say something, but didn’t, keeping his eyes on Zayn.

            “Um, ok, so what do you want to start with?” Zayn asked.

            “I think I’m behind in math already. I’m quite shit at it. Actually, I suck at everything,” Liam said apologetically.

            “Then it looks like I have my work cut out for me,” Zayn said, pulling Liam’s math book towards him. For the rest of the time they had, Zayn helped Liam with his math and a little bit of history. Liam was right, he did suck, but at least he tried, focusing on every word Zayn said. And if Zayn thought the way he furrowed his eyebrows when he stumbled over a word he didn’t know, or stuck his tongue out when he tried to do a math problem was cute, then he would never admit it to anyone.

            He looked at his watch then back at Liam and said, “It looks like we’re done for the day. Are you gonna show up on Wednesday?”

            Liam began packing his backpack as he replied, “Yeah, I have to. I’m not so great at this school stuff as you probably saw.”

            “Well, I guess god doesn’t give with both hands” Zayn stated.

            “What do you mean?” Liam asked, looking up from his bag.

            “You can’t have the looks and the brains,” Zayn explained.

            Liam smirked, “You think I’m hot?”

            “No, I didn’t mean it like that,” Zayn rushed out.

“Alright, Zayn” Liam grinned, slinging his backpack on before hoisting himself up on his crutches, “See you next time.”

            Liam hobbled his way to the door, leaving Zayn staring at him as he went. Liam turned to wink before he left, giving a small wave. The door closed, leaving him slightly stunned in his seat.

            “See ya,” he said softly into the empty room. This year, his job was going to be interesting.

-

            “Liam Payne? _The_ Liam Payne?”

            “Yes, Niall. What don’t you understand?”

            Zayn was walking with Harry and Niall, his only two friends and he liked it that way. Harry was the kid with the camera, Niall was the band geek, and Zayn was the art freak and sometimes nerd who together made a little band of outcasts. They were walking back to Harry’s house to hang out, maybe do some homework but probably not.

            “He broke his foot, you know,” Harry added unhelpfully.

            “Yes, Harry. That’s the whole point of my story,” Zayn huffed, “I have to tutor him, because apparently without football he has nothing.”

            “I don’t know, he has his looks,” Harry supplied.

            Zayn snorted, “Please, he’s average at best.”

            Harry rolled his eyes while Niall laughed, “You have to be blind then. He’s got those eyes, and that face, and those arms.”

            “Niall, I’m getting jealous,” Harry pouted at his boyfriend.

            Niall took Harry’s hand and said, “Don’t worry, babe, it’s Zayn who’s had a crush on Liam since sophomore year history.”

            Zayn bristled, “I didn’t have a crush on him and I never will. He thinks he’s so amazing just because he can through a ball around. Well he’s not. He can’t even pass history. And so what if everyone wants him. I can see past those muscles.”

            “Geez, Zayn, I was only joking,” Niall soothed, but he looked up at Harry and winked. Zayn definitely had a crush.

            “Whatever,” Zayn grunted as they all filed into Harry’s house, “I’ll only have to deal with him three days a week. And you better have something salty in this health nut of a house, Harry.”

            “We have salt,” Harry suggested the same time Niall said, “You’ll be sucking his dick in six.”

            They looked at each other and grinned, breaking down into laughter as Zayn groaned and pushed past them to climb the stairs to Harry’s room.

            “We were teasing!” Niall called up after him.

            “I wasn’t. We don’t have chips.” Harry said. Niall rolled his eyes fondly and leaned up to kiss his boyfriend. Harry smiled into the kiss when Niall started to run his hand through his hair,

            “Stop kissing and bring me food!” came Zayn’s muffled yell. Harry pulled away still smiling and said, “You go calm down the drama queen and I’ll go found something somewhat unhealthy.”

            “Yes, sir” Niall exclaimed with one last kiss before bounding up the stairs two at a time. Harry’s room was open, and from down the hallway Niall could see Zayn laying on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

            “I don’t want to see talk about him,” Zayn said as soon as Niall walked in, eyes still glued to the glow in the dark stars Harry put up there when he was seven.

            “Wasn’t even going to mention him,” Niall retorted as he lay back net to Zayn, “I’m surprised you were even still thinking about him.”

            Zayn turned onto his side and pushed Niall of the bed, but the sad part was that Zayn _was_ still thinking about Liam. Somehow he made Zayn lose his cool. He had gone three years without a crush, keeping his eyes set on the big world of college, but Liam Payne walks into his life after years of ignoring him, flashes one cocky smile and Zayn’s heart flies out of his chest. That must be why Niall and Harry are making such a big deal, Zayn never gets this worked up over anything, preferring to remain indifferent.

            Fuck that, Zayn thinks, Liam does not deserve me. What has he done for me?

            When Niall responds with a “Hell, yeah!” from his position on the floor, Zayn realizes he said this aloud.

            “Shut up” Zayn sighs, moving to sit upright when he hears Harry walk in.

            “Why is Niall on the floor?” Harry asks, handing Zayn a bowl of popcorn, “If anyone belongs on my bed it’s him.”

            Harry smirks when Zayn scrunches his nose in disgust, but Niall comes to his defense, saying, “Don’t worry about it, Haz, he was busy brooding and contemplating his loveless life.”

            “Very true, Ni. I can practically see the gloomy gray cloud over his head,” Harry teased as he took Niall’s hands to pull his boyfriend up. The blond had made it halfway up before Harry was tipping forward, losing his balance, and falling ungracefully on top of Niall. After a moment of making sure each other was okay, they broke into a fit of giggles, Niall wrapping his arms around Harry.

            Zayn watched this all happen, but instead of laughing along, he frowned and said, “Don’t you see. This is what love does. It makes you so weak at the knees you can barely stand and soon enough you become a mess, fall in love in, then hurt each other.”

            Harry and Niall exchanged a look then turned to Zayn. “That’s the thing, Zayn,” Harry explained, “love isn’t supposed to be easy or painless. I mean, sure, am I going to get a bruise tomorrow, maybe, but in the end it’s worth it. Look where I am now, in the arms of the boy I love.”

            “I guess the thing is, Zayn,” Niall added while adjusting himself so Harry was on his lap, “You have to be willing to take a chance. It’s like that thing Shakespeare wrote that you said to me after me and Harry had our first fight: ‘the course of true love fucking sucks’. Or something like that.”

            “The course of true love never did run smooth,” Zayn corrected, finding himself smiling.

            “Yeah, that’s the one. We don’t want you to be alone forever, Zaynie.”

            Zayn sighed and rested his chin in his hands. “When did my dumb best friends get so smart?” he marveled.

            “Probably at the same time you were getting dumb,” Niall teased. Zayn threw a handful of popcorn at him in retaliation, but Niall just laughed and opened his mouth. As Harry fed some pieces to his boyfriend, Zayn looked on, warming up to the idea that maybe love was something he wanted.

 

-

            Monday seemed to stretch on for ages for Zayn, not only because he tired from a late night of reading, but it was also the first time Zayn was going to see Liam since their first tutoring session. He was torn between anxious and excited, making him extra jumpy. One time he saw Liam in the hallway and nearly had a heart attack, choosing to duck into an open classroom before Liam had a chance to spot him. Of course, he wasn’t even sure Liam would even say hi, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

            At lunch, Zayn’s leg bounced up and down and he tapped his pencil against the table as he tried to focus on some work he was doing. Harry and Niall caught on quickly to Zayn’s mood, confused by the way he was acting. They had never seen Zayn act this way.

            “What’s with you today?” Niall demanded, grapping the pencil away from Zayn while Harry reached over and pressed firmly on Zayn’s leg to keep it from jumping, “You’re making me and Haz nervous and we don’t even know what you’re so worked up about.”

            “It’s just- I’m seeing- I don’t know- It’s Liam,” Zayn stuttered, his mind moving a million miles per second. He wove both hands through his dark hair, resting his elbows on the table and restarted the leg shaking.

“Did Liam do something to you? I’ll go fuck him up, where is he?” Niall blurted, already moving to stand up. Harry pushed Niall back down then rubbed circles into his back soothingly.

            “I doubt Liam did anything to Zayn other than make him crazy,” Harry explained softly.

            Zayn groaned, “I don’t know what it is about him. Like whenever I think about him I can’t focus. And when I see him I can’t breathe.”

            With one hand still on Niall, Harry reached out to pull one Zayn’s from his hair, holding it in his own as he said, “It’s just a crush. You’ll survive this, alright Zayn?”

            Zayn nodded, squeezing Harry’s hand. The curly haired boy continued, “I know you don’t like talking to people. And I know it makes you anxious, but that’s okay. Remember how Liam listened to you and how he was nice? Sure he might be a little cocky, but I think underneath he’s just a puppy. So you’re going to go tutor him today and charm the pants off of him. Ok, Zayn?”

            “Yeah, ok”, Zayn replied softly, eyes still looking down at the table but his breathing returned to normal. Once again, he was thankful for Harry’s ability to calm him down.

            “Look at me, Zayn,” Harry said firmly, but not meanly. Zayn raised his head and met Harry’s eyes, which were soft and filled with affection for his friend, “You’re going to do great. I know you, and there’s nothing you can’t do.”

            And Zayn actually believed him, a smile beginning to grow on his face because, yeah, maybe he could do this.

            “And you can always call us or text us to come get you if or something if you want,” Niall added.

            “Thanks guys, but I think I’ll be ok,” Zayn declared, more for himself than his friends. He was beginning to feel a little stupid for freaking out so much, especially over a boy, but it’s just something that happened sometimes. People kinda made him nervous. What was so special about Liam anyway?

            Zayn remembered exactly what made Liam so special about 3 hours later when he was back in his little study room and heard a quick knock before the door opened, revealing a smiling Liam. He was still on his crutches, the only thing that really changed was that there was a scattering of signatures on his cast.        

            “Surprised to see me?” Liam asked, moving to the same seat he sat in last time.

            “I forgot you were supposed to come,” Zayn said, feigning indifference.

            “Liar,” Liam smirked, “I bet you couldn’t stop thinking about me.”

            Zayn rolled his eyes, but inside his heart skipped a beat. If only Liam knew how right he was. “So what are we working on today?” he wondered, trying to distract the other boy’s attention.

            “Oh, um, I have an essay due at the end of the week,” Liam answered. He moved to pull out a book and notebook.

            “Oh,” Zayn startled, “English is my favorite. What book did you read?”

            Liam blushed, looking ashamed as he said, “It’s a Shakespeare play. But I didn’t actually read it yet.”

            “Liam,” Zayn sighed, taking the copy of play, which turned out to be _The Tempest_ , from Liam’s hands.

            “I know, I know,” Liam snapped, “But I can’t understand what its saying and it’s so boring. Like I can’t stay focused.”

            “It’s ok, Liam,” Zayn assured, seeing how defensive Liam got, “Shakespeare is really hard, but we’ll get through it. You might actually like it. There’s magic, a ship wreck, an exiled king, and true love.”

            “That doesn’t sound too bad,” Liam reluctantly agreed, “But I still don’t think I can read it.”

            “I could read it to you,” Zayn blurted out, blushing when Liam looked at him surprised.

            “Really? You would do that for me?”

            Of course, Zayn thought, but instead he said, “Sure, I mean, I’m not going to write your whole paper for you.”

            Liam grinned, face lighting up as if Zayn had just told him he won a million dollars. Zayn smiled back, he couldn’t help himself. Somehow Liam’s smile had wormed its way into his brain, telling him that this smile was worth seeing again and again and again, no matter the price. Zayn moved his chair up against Liam’s, so close that their forearms pressed together. He opened the book to the first page and gripped it tight as he turned to Liam. And fuck, his face was so close Zayn could almost feel Liam breathing.

            “I’ll read out loud and you follow along. And make sure to stop me if you don’t get something, okay?” Zayn said barely louder than a whisper. Liam nodded, holding the smaller boy’s gaze until Zayn looked quickly down at the page, chasing his the stutters of his heart away with the forcefulness in his voice. At first he was nervous, he’d never really read aloud to someone before, but Liam sat silently, following the words diligently as Zayn said them. Eventually Liam rested his head on his crossed arms, peering at the play over Zayn’s arm. Zayn tried to go slowly, understanding that Liam struggled with this. He also paid attention to Liam’s reactions, glancing at him after a long block of text, and if his forehead was more furrowed than usual, he would give a quick explanation. Every time he did Liam gave a grateful smile that left him breathless. When Zayn finished the last line, he closed the book with finality and looked down at Liam. He gave a small laugh when he saw that Liam’s eyes were fluttering closed.   

            “Are you falling asleep on me?” Zayn giggled, nudging Liam with his body.

            “Of course not,” Liam responded, rising up and arching his back in a stretch, arms out wide. Zayn opened his mouth but became distracted by the way Liam’s biceps flexed and how his shirt rode up, offering Zayn a glimpse at Liam’s toned stomach. When his eyes met Liam’s again, he found the other boy smirking knowingly, keeping his arms up with his hands locked together behind his head so his chest puffed out more than usual. Zayn cleared his throat and looked away quickly, announcing a little too loudly that they would work on the paper on Wednesday.

            “Looking forward to it!” Liam confirmed so earnestly that Zayn almost believed him. Maybe he did want to be here.

            When Liam was all packed up and back on his crutches, the pair moved to the door, Zayn opening it and stepping back so Liam could pass. They walked to the front of the school in silence until Liam said suddenly, “Hey, do you need a ride home or something. My mate Louis is picking me up?”

            Zayn looked at Liam incredulously, “The same Louis that ran over your foot?”

            Liam laughed, but his face still got a little pink as he answered, “Yeah, but he’s a good driver I swear. And he doesn’t hurt you when you’re in the car, at least.”

            Zayn chuckled, but answered in the negative, “Nah, thanks though. My house isn’t too far.”

            Ok, so maybe it was, but there was no way Zayn was getting into a car with some jock, and especially not Louis Tomlinson. He had quite the reputation. When they reached the parking lot, Zayn spotted Louis’ car so he mumbled a quick goodbye, not sure if Liam wanted to be seen with him.

            But Liam called out, “Wait!” reaching out to gently touch Zayn’s shoulder. Zayn turned, and once again he was inches away from Liam’s face.

            “I just want to thank you for helping me,” he explained softly, “Not many people take the time, you know. Think I’m too dumb for this kind of stuff.”

            Zayn shook his head, staring up at Liam through his eyelashes and said just as quietly, “Don’t say that Liam. I think you’re quite smart actually, and we’re gonna rock that essay.”

            Liam smiled so wide the corners of his eyes crinkled, “Yeah, ok! I’ll see you around, ok Zayn?”

            Zayn nodded, not trusting his voice. Liam hobbled to the car, and Zayn stood there watching, waiting to see if Liam was ok. When Louis got out of the car to open the door and help his friend with his stuff, Zayn turned to leave. But even though his back was to the two boys, Zayn heard Louis’ voice echo across the lot, “Finally, Payno. I can’t believe your parents and Coach are making you do this. Who cares about school anyway? Plus, it must suck hanging around with some geek after school.”

            Zayn felt sick, his stomach churned as he picked up the pace. He just wanted to get home and forget about Liam and his jock friends. However, Zayn couldn’t forget him quite yet because he heard Liam answer, “Yeah, it’s pretty lame.”

            It was then the tears started coming. He couldn’t believe he actually thought that Liam was more than just a pretty face. Those jocks are all the same, Zayn thought, and he couldn’t fucking believe that he thought Liam actually liked him. He was so fucking stupid.

            While Zayn was beating himself up for trusting Liam and fighting back the sobs that threatened to escape him, he didn’t catch the way Liam looked back at Zayn before getting into the car, eyes searching for Zayn as if he could sense that he just broke Zayn’s heart.

 

-

            “Zayn, I know you’re a dramatic bitch but this is extreme even for you.”

            Niall was banging on the closed door that led to Zayn’s room, the sound of his fist hitting the wood sometimes overpowering the yells. Underneath the noise, Zayn could make out Harry’s deep voice, choosing to use more gentle words to try to coax his friend out.

            After a good fifteen minutes of that Zayn figured he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep so he rolled out of bed and stumbled around until he felt the cool metal of the doorknob. As soon as he turned it, Niall pushed the door open sending Zayn backwards towards his bed, an arm thrown over his eyes to block the harsh light from the hallway.

            “Zayn, you’re going to school whether you like it or not!” Niall commanded, “Liam is not allowed to keep you from school. You love school for some fucked up reason and he can’t take that away from you.”

            Harry nodded as he pulled some clothes out of them dresser and threw them at Zayn. It really wasn’t worth the fight because together Harry and Niall were a force to be reckoned with. A force of filled with smiles and kisses, but still.

            “I hope I never see his big, dumb face again,” Zayn grumbled, forcefully buttoning up his shirt. Harry hummed in agreement and placed an arm gently around Zayn’s shoulders when the boy was dressed, guiding him out of the room, down the steps, and into Niall’s car.

            “It’s just like, ugh!” Zayn tried to explain, letting out a muffled scream of frustration into his sweatshirt that he shoved into his face. Harry and Niall shared a concerned look from the front seats of the car.

            “We’ll go to the head of the tutoring department today and get them to switch you and Liam,” Harry assured. Zayn didn’t respond, but he knew Harry was right. But part of him didn’t want Liam to find a new tutor, because then someone else would get to see the way fumbled adorably over big words, or the way his face turned into the sun when he finally got a hard problem right. In a weird way Zayn felt like that side of Liam belonged to him, like no one else cared enough to deserve it.

            The day wasn’t as bad as Zayn thought it would be. In fact, it seemed to help him not think about Liam. At home, all his thoughts revolved around the boy that let him down, but in class all Zayn had to focus on was his work. This was all working pretty well, Zayn felt himself beginning to relax, no longer worrying about Liam and his douchebag friends. However, right between art and science, Zayn ran into Liam. Actually, Zayn didn’t see Liam at first, but the other boy called out his name excitedly, clearly trying to get Zayn’s attention.

            “Zayn!” Liam tried again when Zayn ignored him. Zayn sighed and looked up, meeting Liam’s eyes. But instead of mirroring Liam’s smile, he narrowed his eyes into a glare. He held it until the smile completely disappeared, then pointedly turned in the opposite direction. Zayn’s first instinct was to turn around and comfort Liam, telling him he was sorry, but the words Liam said yesterday to Louis began to echo in his head, a perfect reminder of why Zayn was so upset in the first place.

            That encounter left Zayn shaken for the rest of the day, his mind no longer fully focused on his school work. Even though he and Harry had spoken to the teacher in charge of tutoring to get Liam and Zayn switched, he was still nervous for that afternoon.

            And apparently he had the right to be nervous because as few minutes after Zayn settled into his study room, there was a firm knock on the door. Zayn called out a hesitant “come in”, a little surprised that he already had a new person to tutor. Liam opened the door looking half angry half awkward standing there.

            “Can I help you?” Zayn spate, barely looking up from his book.

            “They told me you wanted someone else to tutor me.” Liam explained uncertainly, like he was hoping that Zayn would speak up and contradict him. Zayn didn’t even look up, prompting Liam to continue.

            “It’s just that, I was wondering why?”

            “None of your business, Liam.” Zayn ground out, stressing the other boy’s name.

            “Zayn.”

            No response.

            “Zayn, look at me!” Liam shouted, desperation mixed with anger. Zayn’s face whipped up, glaring at Liam. He pushed his seat back and stood up so forcefully he knocked it over. The anger on Liam’s face changed to fear and worry as Zayn appeared inches from his face.

            “What Liam? What else can you say to me that can make me feel any worse?” the dark haired boy hissed.

            “I don’t understand why you’re so upset with me?”

            “Why do you even care? I’m just some lame geek you’re forced to hang out with. I figured you’d be happy you don’t have to spend any more time with me.”

            Liam’s forehead creased in confusion as he listened to Zayn’s words. Zayn kept their eyes locked until Liam was hit with the realization of where those words came from.  
Zayn snorted in false amusement, pulling away from Liam. But the taller boy reached out, tucking his crutch under his armpit, and placed a hand on Zayn’s shoulder to keep him close.

            “Zayn, I’m so sorry. It’s just Louis is a real asshole sometimes and I never cared about school before because everyone’s seen me as this dumb kid who’s only good at throwing a ball around. And I think I’m scared everyone’s going to laugh at me if I say I like coming here, like I know it’s not much of an excuse but I’m sorry. Please don’t switch me for someone else.”

            They stood there for a few seconds, Liam breathing heavily after his rushed and rambled explanation and Zayn staring back, eyes wide. He let out a sigh, moving beside Liam and gently placing a hand on his lower back and guided him into the room. Liam gave him a surprised look but let Zayn take his crutches and maneuver him into the seat next to his.

            “I want to be mad at you,” Zayn admitted, sliding into his chair after he propped up Liam’s crutches and closed the door. Liam wrung his hands nervously in his lap, refusing to meet Zayn’s eyes.

            “But I can’t!” Zayn cries out after moments of silence, like it almost hurt him to keep that statement inside. “Like I know we’re not friends but it still fucking hurt what you said to Louis. And you’re so smart Liam. If your friends and teammates can’t see that then I don’t think they really know you.”

            Liam looked up, giving Zayn a cautious smile as he breathed out, “We’re friends.”

            Zayn smiled shyly at that and said, “Good. I’m happy we’re friends.”

            This seemed to give Liam his old confidence back, his small smile spreading into a self-assured grin. “Maybe next time you see me in the hallways you won’t look at me like you’re trying to kill me.”

            Zayn scoffed, “You can’t blame me for that. Plus,” he added, “I have a reputation to uphold. Can’t be seen with jocks. It will make it seem like I actually care about this school.”

            Liam chuckled leaning over to nudge Zayn with his shoulder, “Oh, you care about some things, Malik. I’m onto you.”

            “Me?” Zayn asked in mock surprise.

            “You cared enough to get mad at me. There must be something deep down in you that’s pining for me.”

            Zayn felt his heart speed up and under Liam’s playful gaze he had a hard time keeping his cool. “In your dreams, Payne”, Zayn tried to say levelly, but he knew that it came out breathless. “Don’t we have an essay due Friday to write?” he asked, trying to divert the attention from his secret desires.

Liam let out a little laugh, amused by his flustered friend. “Yeah, we do. I guess we should get to work.”

            “Have any ideas for it?” Zayn inquired, pulling the play and a notebook from Liam’s backpack. The silence and blush on Liam’s cheeks were answer enough.

            “Alright well, you talk about what some of your favorite things were about the story and I’ll write done some of your thoughts that could be a potential essay.”

            Liam nodded and began to recount the bits he liked and some ideas he had of themes. Zayn was impressed by how much Liam remembered and the thoughts he formed about it, but didn’t say anything, letting Liam ramble on while he listed some points.

            “I think that’s enough,” Zayn said after a few minutes, “You have some pretty good ideas here, Liam.”

            The boy gave a crinkle eyed smile at the praise, leaning over to look over the paper Zayn had written.

            “Wow, I said all that? It makes me look pretty smart.”

            Zayn laughed a little at the incredulous tone, “You sure did. You need to stop putting yourself down.”

            They shared a smile before Liam looked at the page again, nose scrunching in distaste as he said, “You have terrible handwriting. But I can say that because I have great handwriting.”

            Zayn rolled his eyes as he turned in his chair to face Liam, playfully asking, “You do, do you? Maybe I’m the one who needs a tutor.”

            “Maybe you’re right,” Liam agreed, inching over his seat so their sides were touching. He moved his body so it was mostly behind Zayn’s, his right hand reaching out to slide over Zayn’s, which still gripped the pen. His large hand fit over Zayn’s smaller one easily, and he guided it over the paper spelling out a phrase.

            “Liam is awesome,” Zayn repeated.

            “Pretty impressive, right?” Liam smirked.

            “Maybe a bit more if you spelled awesome with two e’s”, Zayn replied, too busy enjoying the way Liam kept his hand on his own to care that Liam was a terrible speller. He twisted to try to tease Liam some more, but he was met with the other boy staring down at him, brown eyes wide and mouth slightly agape like he just realized something. Zayn’s cheeky smile slipped off his face the longer they sat there, Liam pressed up against him. Slowly but surely Liam started to close the space between their lips, and Zayn’s eyes fluttered closed and lips parted in anticipation. However, there was suddenly a loud chime and buzzing noise from the table causing Liam to jump, almost falling from the chair. Zayn’s eyes flew open in surprise.

            Liam scrabbled for his phone, reading the message he just received. “My ride’s here,” he explained, “I have to go.”

            Zayn nodded, a little stunned, before getting up to help Liam with his bag and crutches. They stood awkwardly in the doorway, both unsure of what to say until Liam spoke up.

            “You, um, need a ride?”

            “No, I’m good.”

            “Ok. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

            “Yeah, definitely. And work on that paper tonight so I can read over it tomorrow.”

            Liam nodded then paused, giving Zayn a strange look before leaning down clumsily and pressing a kiss to Zayn’s cheek. He quickly limped away before either one of them could say anything else, leaving Zayn stunned and staring after the injured boy, his hand pressed lightly to his cheek and wondering what the fuck just happened.

 

-

            The news of the almost kiss then the sort of kiss, as Zayn put it, left Harry and Niall surprised and a bit skeptical. They mostly distrusted Liam because they didn’t want Zayn to get hurt (“again”, Niall added) but they weren’t opposed to the idea of Zayn finally finding someone he liked. Zayn put this in the back of his mind during the next few weeks, telling himself that he needed to introduce his friends to Liam, who he had grown quite close too. There, unfortunately, had been no more kissing during Zayn and Liam’s sessions, just a lot of flirting, which Zayn wasn’t opposed too, but he also wished that it would move past that. Of course he liked getting to know Liam. He was funny, always trying to make Zayn laugh, and very sweet. Nothing like the image Zayn had of the star football player. But one of Zayn’s favorite things he discovered about Liam was that he was just as geeky as he was. One time, a comic slipped out of Liam’s backpack causing him to blush, embarrassed by the fact he was caught with such a nerdy item. Zayn couldn’t stop laughing, but assured Liam that superheroes were definitely cool.

            Zayn was at his locker, putting unneeded books away and smiling to himself at the memory, but was pulled from it abruptly when something hit the locker next to him. Startled, Zayn jumped a little and turned to see what it was. He was greeted with none other than the smiling face of Louis Tomlinson.

            “Hello?” Zayn questioned, still slightly surprised that Louis was there.

            “Louis Tomlinson,” he said with a smile, sticking out his hand, “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.”

            “No, you haven’t,” Zayn responded slowly, gently taking Louis’ hand.

            Louis looked confused for a second, smile flickering as he shook Zayn’s hand. “Well, I know you. Liam doesn’t shut up about you, Zayn Malik, so I thought it was time we met.”

            “Um, ok.” Zayn closed his locker and began walking in the direction of the library. Zayn chewed his lip in thought, why did Louis decide to talk to him?

            “Hey, wait up!” came Louis’ voice from behind him. Zayn turned his head, but didn’t stop walking. He watched Louis jog to catch up and when they fell in step he asked, “Where are you off to?”

            “The library. Usually I tutor Liam, but he said he has a doctor’s appointment so I’m helping another kid today.”

            “Oh yeah! Liam said that they’re seeing if his foot will be able to heal. I really hope it does or I’ll feel so fucking bad, ya know.”

            Zayn nodded. He hoped Liam’s foot would let him play again, but at the same time no cast meant no tutoring…

            Louis stopped, turning to Zayn and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping the other boy from walking on. Louis’ signature grin disappeared, replaced by look of seriousness. He took a breath before looking Zayn in the eyes, “Just, look, I don’t really know how to say this but thanks for what you’re doing. I haven’t seen Liam this confident in ages,” Zayn rolled his eyes in disbelief, but Louis shook his head and continued, “I mean it. I don’t know what you’re saying to him but it’s working. He was so upset after he hurt his foot that he wouldn’t smile. But after spending time with you I think he sees there’s more to life than football and making other people happy.”

            When Louis finished, Zayn stood there in shock, unsure of what to do. “Thanks. I really like Liam. Think he’s a really great guy. I’m glad I could help,” Zayn responded a little awkwardly, not used to getting praise from a complete stranger.

            Louis seemed to sense Zayn’s discomfort and the smile returned as he said, “I hope you decide to stick around. You’re a good guy, Malik, no matter what I hear.”

            Zayn smirked when Louis winked as a he turned to walk away, giving a small wave. Smiling to himself and shaking his head, he entered the library, still in disbelief at what just happened. Niall and Harry wouldn’t believe this.

            The kid Zayn had to tutor was a freshman, meaning the work was easy, meaning that it was mind numbing, giving Zayn more time to think about what Louis said to him, especially the fact that Liam may be healed. However, he pushed through, deciding resolutely that he would not think about Liam any more that day. Unfortunately for Zayn, this was not meant to be. Midway through the student’s math homework the door flew open and in walked Liam.

            Wait, walked?

            “It’s a miracle!” Liam yelled, his smile threatening to break his face in half. He kicked his leg so it was on the table and looked straight at Zayn as he exclaimed, “I’m healed! I swear, step on my foot! Honestly, I’m fine!”

            Zayn frowned at Liam and said, “That’s great, Liam, but I’m kind of busy.” He gestured to the student next to him, “We’re in the middle of math homework.”

            The smile didn’t disappear from Liam’s face when he looked at the freshman, “You’re gonna smash it!” He turned back to Zayn has he continued with the same excitement, “You know who else is gonna smash it? Me! When I play in the homecoming game next Friday!”

            Zayn rolled his eyes, “You’re really going to play in that game? Are you really sure that’s a good idea?”

            “Uh, yeah,” Liam said, now sounding annoyed, “It’s not just a game. It’s homecoming of my last year here. Which is why I need to start missing a few of our meetings, I have to practice.”

            “Great idea,” Zayn retorted, “Skip studying so you can go knock other guys over. That sounds like a good plan,” before he could stop himself Zayn was adding, “You know what, let’s just cancel tutoring all together.”

            Liam gave Zayn a hurt look, but quickly covered it with one of anger, “You should tutor people on how to ruin a great moment. Clearly you’re good at it.”

            Zayn sighed, “I’m sorry if this isn’t going exactly as you expected. I really don’t know what you want me to say.”

            Liam pointed angrily at him, “This isn’t a normal response. Friends are happy for each other when something great happens. I’m happy for you, Liam! Good luck, Liam! That is what you should be saying.”

            “Good _bye_ , Liam,” Zayn said shortly, looking at the book on the table so he couldn’t see Liam’s face, knowing it was something he couldn’t bear to know he caused.

           

-

            Liam and Zayn’s big blow up quickly reached the ears of their respective best friends. Niall and Harry couldn’t say they were exactly surprised. Zayn hasn’t had a great track record with making friends. But after talking about it between the two of them, they decided that the relationship Zayn had with Liam was too special to let end. With that in mind, they approached Liam at the end of football practice a few days later.

            The football player was sitting on a bench on the sideline of the field, stuffing some equipment into a bag so he didn’t see the couple approaching him from across the field, who were receiving some odd looks from the straggling players that made their way back to the school. When they stopped in front of Liam, he mirrored the expressions of his teammates.

            “Niall and Harry, right?” he asked, attention refocusing on the job he was just doing.

            “Yeah, how’d you know?” Harry confirmed, a smile flickering onto his face.

            Liam shrugged, still not looking up as he said, “He used to talk about you all the time. Plus you’re always with him.”

            Niall and Harry exchanged a look at the avoidance of saying Zayn’s name. “We’re actually here to talk about him, if you’d have us.” Harry said gently.

            “I’m not interested,” Liam responded gruffly, “He made it clear we’re not friends.” He stood up, slinging the bag over his shoulder and making a move to pass the pair who were stood in front of him.

            “Liam, mate! Hold up a minute!” Niall exclaimed, placing his hands on Liam’s chest to stop him, but immediately dropped them back to his sides when he felt Liam tense up. “I’m sorry,” he apologized quickly, “it’s just that I think you really want to hear what we have to say.”

            Liam looked between the two boys, surprised to see that they were both smiling at him; Harry with a calm smile, waiting patiently for Liam’s response, and Niall with a more nervous smile, like he had offended him. It was pretty clear that they didn’t want to yell at him or anything, so raised his eyebrows as permission to continue. Niall quickly caught on and began to speak.

“We heard about you and Zayn, so we wanted to come by to see how you were doing.”

Liam shrugged again, “I’m ok.”

“Are you _really_ , Liam?” Harry questioned in his deep voice, drawing out Liam’s name like Zayn used to do. Liam knew that Niall and Harry were practically strangers, but it seemed that they did care about him so he couldn’t help but reveal what he was actually feeling.

“No, not really,” he said dejectedly, “Zayn was a dick and he really hurt me. Like, he was the only one who told me I was smart and told me I was worth more than just how well I can throw a ball. And when he couldn’t be happy for me, it just made me so mad.”

Harry reached out to place a comforting hand on Liam’s shoulder, and smiled when Liam leaned into it. Niall nodded along, pausing before saying, “Now, I really think you and Zayn should talk, but let me ask you something. Do you think that maybe you’re being a little stupid by not looking at Zayn’s side of the story?”

Harry and Liam both glared at Niall, who shook his head and waved his hands. “Not saying you’re dumb, Liam,” he explained, “But look at how Zayn must be feeling. The only reason you became friends was because he had to tutor you, and know you’re asking to stop that, the one connection he had to you. Maybe he feels like you’re going to fucking leave him.”

Liam hung his head, staring at the turf as he mumbled, “I never thought of that.”

“We know,” Harry said, “Which is why we’re here, to let you know that Zayn isn’t mad, just upset.”

All this new information swirled in Liam’s head, making him a little dizzy. He looked at Harry and Niall with wide eyes. “I really like him, but what if he doesn’t want to speak to me ever again. I’m scared,” he choked.

Harry gazed seriously at Liam and advised, “Don’t ever let fear stop you from going after what you want. A football scholarship, a boy, it doesn’t matter. You are a wonderful, driven person and you can get whatever you set your mind to.”

Liam’s mouth opened and closed, taking in Harry’s words. Niall was similarly shocked, leaning over to kiss his boyfriend, wondering how Harry can give such good advice all the time. Harry smiled at Niall when they separated and stepped forward to give Liam a hug. Niall nodded at him, then the pair walked away, leaving Liam to his thoughts. But after Harry’s words about not letting fear control you, he knew exactly what he needed to do and set off, hoping Zayn was still up at the school.

-

            At the same time Harry and Niall were talking to Zayn, Louis paid a visit to Zayn. He spotted Zayn sitting on top of the hill that overlooked the football field, a cigarette hung from his mouth as his eyes searched the turf. Louis smiled knowingly as he walked over to Zayn, sinking into the grass next to him.

            Zayn took a long drag from his cigarette, releasing a cloud of smoke before asking, “What do you want today, Lou?”

            Louis smirked, “Lou? I don’t recall us becoming friends.”

            “Don’t worry, we’re not” Zayn assured, glancing over at Louis before returning his eyes to the field.

            A few seconds passed in silence before Louis said, “I think you know why I’m here.”

            Zayn rolled his eyes, “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

            “Ok, then let me talk,” Louis paused to see if Zayn would stop him, but when he got no response, just Zayn taking another drag, he continued, “Liam showed up at my house right after you two had your fight, rambling on about you and football and how upset he was. I’ve actually never seen him that upset since the doctor told him he might not be able to play again.”

            He glanced at Zayn to try and gage a reaction, but Zayn was keeping a straight face. “So when he finally calmed down, we sat on the back steps not talking because I wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk. But I thought, ‘Liam sucks at emotions so you’re gonna have to pull it from him’, so I asked, ‘Liam, what are you _really_ upset about, football or Zayn?’ And he kinda looked at me for second, I could see really see him thinking for a minute. It all just clicked for him.

            “I don’t think he realized I knew though because he said, ‘The studying thing is working out for me. I think I might stick with it.’ ‘Studying? Okay, Liam’ I said, but c’mon we both know Liam’s not the smartest.”

            Zayn’s head snapped in Louis’ direction, finally breaking his gaze with the football players below. “Why do you talk about Liam like that?” he questioned, angrily, “He’s your best mate and you should be supporting him.”

            Louis sighed, “I _know_ that, Zayn. And fuck you for thinking that I don’t think a lot of Liam. I’ve been his friend longer than you.”

            “Alright, sorry,” Zayn mumbled.

            “Anyway, you didn’t let me finish the story,” Louis brushed off, “I’m not a total shit friend, so I said, ‘Li, you know this isn’t about the school work, you hate school. This is about the person who teaches you said work.’ When I said this Liam finally was willing to talk about it. This is what I’ve been leading up to so listen closely, Malik.

            “He said, ‘With Zayn, everything is so easy, you know. Being with him is easy, like he gets me. And he makes me feel so good about myself too. All he has to do is smile and I feel like I could fly or take a hundred math tests or I don’t know. Seeing him so mad just broke me. Not seeing the way his nose scrunches when he smiles made it seem like playing the homecoming game isn’t that important.’ So, that’s why I’m here, Zayn. To show you that you made a mark on Liam that he can’t get rid of. I don’t really give a damn what you do with this information, but as his best friend, I felt like I should do something.”

            With that, Louis gave Zayn’s shoulder a pat then pushed himself up, leaving the other boy alone. Zayn glanced up at Louis as he left, but didn’t say anything, partly because he didn’t know what to say. He knew that he and Liam were more than friends, but he had no clue just much Liam cared for him. It kind of scared him how much of those feelings he felt too. Talking with Liam was one of the easiest things for him, which is saying a lot because he isn’t the most social type. He also loved the way Liam smiled, but his favorite thing was Liam’s eyes, the way they were so expressive. They were soft and warm and Zayn wanted to drown in them.

            His cigarette had burned down to filter, leaving his fingertips warm. The air was getting cooler as it was mid-October, leaving Zayn wishing he had something more than his t-shirt. The sound of a whistle pierced the air, and Zayn watched as the football players scattered, running to the sidelines or already walking back to the school. Number 44 hadn’t left Zayn’s sight for the past hour of practice, because even with that helmet and those pads he could tell it was Liam just by the way he moved. As the field grew more empty, Zayn stood up and not really sure where he was going to go, but he needed to clear his head, something that was impossible with Liam around.

            After a few minutes, he had wandered to the parking lot, half his mind wondering where the fuck Harry and Niall were, and the other still thinking about Liam. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do yet. Should he seek out Liam, or not do anything?

            Luckily, or maybe unluckily, for Zayn, this question was answered for him. There was the sound of heavy footsteps quickly approaching him, and he heard his name being called.

            “Zayn!”

            Zayn whipped around and was greeted by the image of Liam running up to him, still in his football pants and cleats but removed his jersey, leaving him in a white tank top.

            “Zayn!” he yelled again, “I have to talk to you!”

Zayn waited for Liam to reach him, and upon closer inspection he saw the sweat that covered Liam’s body, meaning he came straight from practice. Liam confirmed this when he said breathlessly, “I’m sorry I’m gross and stuff but I needed to come find you. I have to say something.”

            His eyes were pleading, begging Zayn to hear him out. Zayn gave a sharp nod and Liam took a breath before saying, “Zayn, I like you. I never really saw myself with someone like you before. You know, I usually just go for hot dudes. Not that you’re not hot, it’s just that you’re just hot in a different way. Beautiful, even. Um, you use words I don’t even understand, like ‘truncated’, which is just an awesome word for ‘short’, but I never knew that until I met you. And that’s only one thing you showed me out of like a million. I have so many things to say to you, but I’ll try to keep it truncated.

            “Hanging out with you is one of my favorite things. I think it’s cool that you read comics like me, and you can speak a different language which you sometimes mutter in when you’re thinking. But my favorite thing is that you think I can be smart. My whole life I loved football, like it was the only thing that mattered to me, but now that you don’t like it, it doesn’t seem that important. And everyone’s going to the homecoming game on Friday, but it doesn’t matter because the person that means the most to me isn’t. I guess what I’m trying to say is will you go to homecoming with me? And maybe I screwed this all up, but I like you a lot and I think you should go out with me.”

            Just as quickly as Liam’s confidence came, it left, leaving him shifting from leg to leg as he dropped his eyes, avoiding Zayn’s own. The other boy stood their stunned, overwhelmed by the sudden declaration.

            “Wow, Liam,” he said after a moment, “This is a lot. It’s all really nice things, but I don’t know. I’ve never been to homecoming, and dances freak me out with all those people.”

            Zayn wanted to kick himself as he said this words, hating how Liam’s whole body slumped at the word, but hating himself more because he didn’t really mean what he said. What he said was true, he didn’t really like homecoming, but he liked Liam and he wanted to go with him, but his head told him that they would never work out. Liam was a homecoming king while he was just a nobody.

            Now it was Zayn’s turn to hang his head because looking into Liam’s puppy eyes would be too painful. Suddenly, Liam looked up, and when he saw that Zayn was close to tears he gently lifted the boy’s chin so their eyes met. His hands then reached for Zayn’s, holding them in his own. Something had Zayn said set him off. Set of sparks inside him. He realized that there was no way he could let Zayn go.

            “I’m not giving up on you, Zayn,” he declared, surprising himself with the way he said that with such intensity, “I’m going to look for you in those stands, because right now that game means nothing if you’re not there. I’ll wait for you at the dance, or we don’t have to go. We can do something else.”

            “Liam, you have to go,” Zayn interrupted, “Everyone in school will be expecting you. I can’t let you let them all because you wanted to be with me.”

            Zayn’s hands fell limply at this sides when Liam dropped them, but their eyes remained locked. “Alright, if that’s what you want,” Liam said, “but I’ll still be looking.”

            For a moment, Zayn swore Liam was going to kiss him. Half of him wanted that, but the other didn’t, knowing that if Liam did kiss him, there was no way he could refuse the boy anything. But instead, Liam whispered, “I’ll see you around, Zayn.”

            Zayn only nodded, not trusting his voice. Tears threatened to escape as he watched Liam walk away, back to the school and his teammates. He blinked them away, once again refusing to cry over that boy. He pulled out another cigarette, lit it, then started on his walk back home.

-

            The days leading up to homecoming were stressful for both Liam and Zayn. All the school could talk about was the game and the dance that followed, providing both boys with reminders that Zayn would not be in attendance. Liam flinched every time one of his friends asked who he was going with, brushing it off with a grin and an excuse. He was also constantly pestered by parents, teachers, and coaches about his impending performance, showering him with praise and expectations. Suddenly homecoming was not as exciting as he thought it would be.

            All Zayn wanted to do was forget that homecoming was even a thing, because if it didn’t exist, then Liam asking him out would never have happened. He would have never had to say no to the boy of his dreams. Niall and Harry faithfully said they wouldn’t go either, but Zayn insisted they did, knowing that they both wanted to, because what high school senior didn’t dream about their final homecoming dance?

            During these days, Liam had made an effort to talk to Zayn, coming up to him in the hallways or trying to make conversation after school. But eventually this died down as Zayn brushed Liam off. Zayn didn’t really know why he did it, because he still liked Liam a lot, needing Liam’s presence like he needed air. But something caused him to push the other boy away.

            Eventually, the long awaited Friday rolled around and the school and town were filled with excitement. Zayn went through the school day in a haze, eagerly awaiting the comfort of his own room. But even when he was finally lying in bed, something felt wrong. The twisting in his stomach was still there. The clock reached the hour of kick off, and when he watched the seconds tick by he knew what he had to do.

            “Fuck!” he screamed into the darkness of his room, “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

            He climbed out of bed and grabbed his phone. He brought up Niall’s name and pressed call. After a few rings he heard Niall’s voice answer, “Zayn! Is everything ok?”

            His voice was muffled, drowned out by the sounds of cheering, cowbells, and music from the band. “Come get me,” he demanded, stumbling around his dark room, pulling on his leather jacket and stuffing a beanie on his head.

            “But the game just started!” Niall replied. Zayn was about to protest, but he heard Harry’s voice in the background. Though he couldn’t make out his words, he could hear Niall’s replies.

“But the game Harry!”

“We’re gonna lose out seats, babe!”

“Alright… Zayn? Zayn, we’re coming.”

            Zayn grunted in affirmation then hung up. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. There was a honk from outside signaling Niall and Harry’s arrival. He flew down the stair, out the door, and into the backseat.

            “Zayn Malik, you owe us one!” Niall yelled, not wasting a second before speeding off back to the school.

            “I’m sorry,” he replied shortly.

            Niall grunted as Harry answered, “Don’t be sorry. I think this is incredibly romantic.”

            “Geez, Harry, I’m just going to a football game.”

            “Yeah, but remember what Liam said to you. He’s going to look for you. And he has all night! He’s going to be so happy.”

            “That makes one of us,” Zayn grumbled, too quiet for Harry to hear. But truthfully, he was excited too. His stomach twisted out of nerves, but Zayn could tell they were good ones. He was doing the right thing.

            When they arrived at the school, Niall did the worst parking job known to man, and the three friends ran to stands. The bleachers were packed, filled with onlookers decked out in the school colors. They filed into the back, which was the only space free.

            “We missed a touchdown!” Niall moaned, burying his face into Harry’s neck. The taller boy stroked the blond hair before a unanimous cheer erupted and Niall looked up. Zayn would admit that the atmosphere was contagious as he found himself swept away by the emotions even though he didn’t know the first thing about football.

            “There he is,” Harry said, leaning close to Zayn so he could be heard. He pointed at a figure on the field. It was Liam. He was standing in a huddle with his teammates, probably discussing strategy for the second half. All at once, the lights didn’t seem so bright and the cheers didn’t seem that loud. As if Liam could sense Zayn’s presence, his eyes began to scan the crowd, hand raking through his sweaty hair nervously. He paused in the place Harry and Niall were sitting before, but moved on quickly. Finally, he spotted Zayn, who stuck out like a sore thumb in his black leather jacket. It took a moment for it to click with Liam, like he couldn’t believe Zayn was actually there, but Zayn smiled and gave a small wave and holy shit, Zayn thought, the smile that appeared on Liam’s face could outshine all the lights on the field. Zayn’s own smile couldn’t help but spread the longer they stared at each other, both having disappeared into their own little world.

            Unfortunately, Liam was called back by his coach, but before he put his helmet back on, he blew Zayn a kiss. His heart stopped in that instance, not believing that Liam could be so cheesy and adorable. The people that witnessed it awed, even though they didn’t know who Liam’s object of affection was, and Harry nudged Zayn playfully with a wink. The rest of the game seemed to pass quickly, and while Zayn didn’t understand any of the rules, he enjoyed watching Liam do what he loved. And he was seriously good, Zayn thought, as he screamed when Liam got _another_ touchdown. The only part that time seemed to slow was whenever Liam got tackled, the sound of bodies hitting bodies causing Zayn to wince and peek out from his fingers over his eyes.

            “You’re adorable,” Harry grinned, slinging one arm over Zayn’s shoulder, “You better get ready to cheer for your boyfriend. Ten seconds left and were up by three touchdowns.”

            Under normal circumstances, Zayn would ask how Harry knew so much about football and probably hit him for calling Liam his boyfriend, but right now he was too preoccupied, eyes darting between Liam and the clock. When it reached zero, the crowd went wild, many of the students running to storm the field.

            “You wanna go?” Niall called to him. Zayn shook his head. He wanted to, obviously, but the idea of being crushed by strangers was not appealing, Liam in there or not.

            “It’s okay. You’ll see him in hour anyway at the dance,” Harry said, taking Niall’s and Zayn’s hands and leading them to the parking lot.

            “Dance?” Zayn stuttered, “No one said anything about the dance?”

            “Don’t be ridiculous, Zayn. You can’t only go the game, and Liam definitely wants to see you.”

            “I don’t have anything to wear,” he tried to protest, but Harry waved him off.

            “Don’t worry, Z, we’ll find something that’ll make your boy’s heart melt.

-

            Harry was right of course, which is why Zayn finds himself standing in the front of the gym doors wearing one of Niall’s suits. It wasn’t the best fit, but it beat the one he had at home from three years ago. He also wore a deep red dress shirt that he kept for special occasions, and he had a black bandana tied around his neck. His long hair was styled, there was too much for a quiff, but Harry did his best, making his fall perfectly around his face. They had no luck with the shoes though, leaving Zayn with his back Doc Martens. He felt a little self-conscious in them, thinking he would stand out a little too much, but Harry insisted they were perfect, “They have character and so do you.”

            Niall and Harry already entered the dance, probably dancing like idiots or making out in the corner. Zayn had told them he would only be a minute more because he wanted to have a cigarette before. Harry looked at him disapprovingly at him, but didn’t say anything, not wanting a fight. Zayn could understand his view, but there was no fucking way he was going to be able to step foot in there without calming his nerves somehow.

            “C’mon, you idiot,” Zayn muttered as he paced in front of the doors, “Get your ass in there.”

            With a deep breath he pushed through the doors and into the gym, suddenly overwhelmed with the throbbing music and laughter. The DJ was set up on the stage with the dance floor in the middle of the floor right in front of it, and tables bordered the sides. It was dark, but not enough that you couldn’t see anyone else. Zayn’s excited classmates were dancing the night away or gossiping at the tables, but Zayn was only looking for one person in particular. Luckily for him, said person had already seen him.

            “Zayn!” he heard, before actually seeing Liam, but was soon confronted with everything that was Liam. The smell of his cologne, the strong arms wrapping around him, and the smile against his cheek.

            “I knew you’d come,” he whispered into the smaller boy’s ear. Before Zayn knew it, his arms were returning Liam’s hug.

            “I think I knew it all along too,” he murmured back, pressing his mouth against Liam’s ear, eliciting a giggle. They pulled apart, and Liam looked Zayn up and down.

            “You look amazing,” he sighed, “The most beautiful person here.”

            “You don’t look so bad yourself,” Zayn smirked. It was true, though. Liam looked incredible in his tight fitting suit, crisp white button up, and shiny black dress shoes. His light brown hair looked better than usual in his own small quiff. It wasn’t until a few seconds that Zayn noticed Liam’s tie.

            “Your tie? How did you know?

            Liam looked down at his red tie, almost the exact shade as Zayn’s shirt. “I might have had a little help,” he blushed, gesturing to a table. Harry, Niall, and Louis were sat there, all smiling at the couple. “I might have definitely known you were coming. But that was only an hour ago.”

            Zayn smiled tenderly, reaching a hand up to stroke Liam’s cheek. Liam’s hand immediately followed, resting it on top of Zayn’s. “I’m sorry,” Zayn said, “Sorry about all those things I said to you. I was a dick. I was afraid of losing you, but that doesn’t make up for anything.”

            “You were a dick, but I forgive you. We both said some dumb things, but let’s not worry about it anymore. We’re both here now.”

Zayn nodded, so happy that Liam understood and was willing to put all those things behind him. A slow song came on, causing the noise from the students to die down, only couples remaining on the dance floor.

            “So will you dance with me, Zayn Malik?” Liam questioned, taking Zayn’s hands in his.

            “I don’t normally dance, like ever,” Zayn started. Liam looked a little upset and was about to say something, but Zayn continued, “So you’re going to have to lead, Liam Payne.

            Liam grinned and led Zayn to the dance floor, sticking close to the edge so Zayn would feel more comfortable. He placed his hands on Zayn’s slender waist and Zayn wound his arms around Liam’s neck, resting his head on his shoulder.

            “I can’t see your face like that, you goof,” Liam scolded playfully.

            “I can’t help it,” Zayn giggled, “You smell so good, Leeyum.”

            “You smell like cigarettes,” Liam teased as he buried his nose into Zayn’s hair. The other boy made to move away, scared he offended Liam by smoking, but that only caused Liam to hold him a little tighter. “Hey, wait,” he rushed, “I like it. Promise.”

            It wasn’t a lie. Zayn did smell like smoke and he did like it, because it wasn’t just the cigarettes he was smelling. There was something so _Zayn_ about. Zayn hummed and rested his head back down, letting Liam sway or turn their bodies. They didn’t talk for the rest of the song apart from Liam singing the sappy love song lyrics in a hushed voice. Out of the corner of his eye Zayn could see Harry and Niall dancing. They were wrapped up in each other, moving rather gracefully for them, leading Zayn to believe Niall was doing a lot of the work. He caught Niall’s eye, and the blond made a face at Zayn causing them both to laugh softly.

            “What is it, babe?” Liam wondered.

            “Nothing, Li. I’m just happy.”

            Liam nodded like he understood, continuing to sing. When the song ended, it was immediately replaced by one with a faster pace. It shook Liam and Zayn out of their moment of peace when dancing bodies pressed up against them. Zayn gripped onto Liam, letting the larger boy push their way out of the crowd.

            “Do you want to get out of here? Get some air or something?” Liam asked, frowning at the way Zayn went from blissful to anxious. Zayn gave a shaky nod, and Liam took his hand and led them out of the gym and outside.

            “I’m sorry, I freaked out,” Zayn said as soon as they got into the cool night air, “You can go back in and keeping dancing if you want. I’ll be okay.”

            “No way, Z,” Liam said firmly, “I’m not leaving.”

            “It's fine, I don’t care.”

“Are you becoming pouty again? What happened to the Zayn that was just cuddling with me on the dance floor?”

            “Please, Liam” Zayn scoffed, “I’m usually a bitch. I guess just not around you.”

            Liam rolled his eyes fondly, “Come on, you. Let’s take a walk.”

            “Are you sure? They’re going to be announcing homecoming king and queen soon, and I know you’re nominated Mr. Jock,” Zayn protested, but let Liam take his hand again and pull him along.

            “Whatever,” Liam shrugged, “If I win they’re just gonna make me dance with some girl that I don’t want to dance with. I’d rather be here with you a million times more than I want to be homecoming king.”

            Zayn stopped scowling at that, already feeling his guarded, sarcastic persona slipping away. They fell into step, but it was clear that Liam was the one who knew where they were going.

            “Where are we going? Leeyum, it’s cold out here,” Zayn whined.

            Liam laughed, untangling their hands so he could put his arm over Zayn’s shoulder and pull him closer. “I’m taking you somewhere I’m sure I’ll never get you to go again.”

            “The football field?” Zayn questioned incredulously as they stepped onto the turf and walked out to the 50 yard line.

            “I just wanted you to see it from my perspective. You were able to get me to see books and stuff like you do, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

            They turned to face the bleachers, Liam’s arm still over Zayn, who pressed himself into Liam’s side both for warmth and comfort. Though empty, the shiny metal seats were still intimidating, and Zayn remembered how full they could be.

            “I’m impressed that you found me when I was all the way up there,” Zayn admitted.

            “I’ll always find you, Zayn,” Liam insisted, placing a kiss on the top of Zayn’s head that made his heart flutter.

            “What’s it like down here, like when you play?”

            “Exhilarating,” Liam sighed happily, “When I’m playing it’s like no one can touch me. The people in the crowd don’t matter because it’s just me and my team, but at the same time they do, because if I can score then I’m able to make them all happy. Sort of like a superhero who is saving the day one touchdown at a time.”

            Liam chuckled to himself, “That seems crazy, I bet. It’s just a game.”

            “It’s not,” Zayn said loudly, trying to stop Liam from putting himself down once again. Because this was definitely not a crazy thought. It was clear that football meant a lot to Liam, and the way he described it made Zayn question all the things he ever thought about the sport.

            “I’m going to come to every game if you want me to,” Zayn continued, “I want to see you save the world, because even if I don’t like football, I like you.”

            Liam looked down at Zayn, eyes threatening to close with the intensity of his smile. “It’s like me and books,” he explained, “I hate reading, but you love it. I can tell because you always smile when you read. I could care less about the themes of a play, but you do. Plus the way you read is almost sinful, I swear to god.”

            Zayn smirked, “Almost as delicious as you look in those football pants?”

            Liam blushed but didn’t respond, so Zayn continued, “Does this mean you’re going to come back to tutoring?”

            The other boy shrugged, “I don’t know. I’m not sure how they’ll feel about having my boyfriend tutor me.”

            Zayn was about to try to convince Liam to come back, but suddenly realized what Liam had said. “Your boyfriend?” he asked slyly, a smile playing at his lips.

            “Does this answer that?” Liam whispered, turning their bodies so they were face to face. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against Zayn’s. One of Liam’s hands rested on Zayn’s hip to keep the other boy steady and the other cradled the back of his neck, fingers playing with the dark hair there. Zayn’s own arms found their way back around Liam’s neck like when they were dancing. He sighed into the kiss, enjoying the way Liam’s warm, soft lips felt against his chapped ones, red from nervously biting them all night. His lips parted slightly, allowing Liam’s tongue to slide against his. Liam worked his lips against Zayn’s some more before he pulled back, leaving both of them breathless and flushed.

            “You taste like smoke, too,” Liam giggled, “You’re going to get me addicted to way you kiss.”

            Zayn smiled and dragged his hands through Liam’s hair, kissing him again just because he could. “Maybe tutoring is a bad idea after all,” Zayn said.

            “And why is that?” Liam questioned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

            “Because I’m going to want to do this all the time,” he grinned before leaping into Liam’s arms, pulling him into another heated kiss. Liam laughed against Zayn’s mouth as he struggled to hold on to his boyfriend, who had wrapped his legs around his waist.  They kissed like that in the middle of the football field until Liam’s arms burned, and even then he refused to put Zayn down.

            “Liam.” Zayn sighed.

            “Zayn.” Liam crooned back.

            They didn’t need to say anything else because they both finally knew what the other was thinking, that this could be love.

           

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading everyone! I have some more stories in the works so stay tuned!
> 
> You can follow me here: http://kristensbogusjourney.tumblr.com/


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